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PEN charter

The PEN Charter was approved by the Assembly of Delegates at the 1948 PEN Congress. Its principles continue to guide and unify our PEN Centres, now in more than100 countries around the world

LITERATURE KNOWS NO FRONTIERS, and should remain a common currency between nations in spite of political or international upheavals.

In all circumstances, and particularly in time of war, works of art, the patrimony of humanity at large, should be left untouched by national or political passion.

Members of PEN should at all times use what influence they have in favour of good understanding and mutual respect between nations; they pledge themselves to do their utmost to dispel race, class and national hatreds, and to champion the ideal of one humanity living in peace in one world.

PEN stands for the principle of unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations; and members pledge themselves to oppose any form of suppression of freedom of expression in the country and community to which they belong as well as throughout the world whenever this is possible. PEN declares for a free press and opposes arbitrary censorship in time of peace. It believes that the necessary advance of the world towards a more highly organized political and economic order renders a free criticism of governments, administrations and institutions imperative. And since freedom implies voluntary restraint, members pledge themselves to oppose such evils of a free press as mendacious publication, deliberate falsehood and distortions of fact for political and personal ends.

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English PEN is a charity (number 1125610) and registered company (number 05747142) and we rely on membership fees and the generous gifts from our donors to maintain our campaigns and programmes supporting the freedom to write. You can support our work by joining as a member, making a bequest, or by make a one off donation.